Mamikon Khojoyan cannot speak

The health condition of Mamikon Khojoyan, the 77-year-old Armenian national held in captivity in Azerbaijan for a month, is critical, though stable, says Artur Tigranyan, a doctor of the intensive care unit at St Grigor Lusavoritch Medical Centre.

“Khojoyan does not speak at all,” he said adding that it is still unknown how long the man will stay in the intensive care unit.

The 77-year-old resident of Verin Karmiraghbyur, a village in Armenia’s northeastern Tavush province bordering on Azerbaijan, crossed the border on January 28, 2014. He was returned to Armenia on March 4 under the auspices of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

The man was placed under the care of doctors in Ijevan town upon repatriation.

Khojoyan is known to suffer from a mental disorder while Azeri media circulates news about an ‘armed Armenian saboteur’ who had crossed the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.